Can it Work?
by d-E-a-D-12349876-a-C-c-O-u-N-t
Summary: Nemu loves Uryu.Uryu loves Nemu.They're both two completely differnt people. I have uploaded chapter 7, so I hope everyone enjoys it. IchiRuki is also in this chapter! My first NemuIshi fic.
1. Chapter 1

Nemu looked around at the fellow women at the Shinigami Women's Association. Yachiru was talking about how they needed more candy, and Nanao was scolding her politely saying,"Madam President, our funds won't allow us!" She would get flustered, which caused Rangiku and Kiyone to laugh. Soi Fon would be delicately stroking her black cat doll, and Nemu sat down in a chair in deep thought.

"What's wrong, Nemu?" Kiyone asked, looking at the melancholy woman. Nemu looked up and shook her head. Her attention went back to Yachiru, who had an important announcement.

"I think that we should go on a vacation!" Yachiru squealed. Rangiku gave an "Ooh... SHOPPING!" of approval. Kiyone and Soi Fon both nodded and Nanao would push up her glasses and would reply with,"But our funds..." Yachiru would shake it off, unscathed. She would say it again, and Nanao would sigh in defeat. They all turned their heads to Nemu.

"What do you think, Nemu?" Rangiku asked. Nemu nodded her head.

"Then it's settled!" Yachiru all walked off to pack their bags.

"Nemu," Mayuri said roughly when she entered the barracks. "I heard something about a 'vacation.'" he looked at her, and she answered.

"Yes Mayuri-sama. Lieutenant Kusajashi wished for the Shinigami Women's Association to have a vacation..." she answered, knowing that he would most likely say,"No, you ungrateful wench!" Then he would slap her across the face. But he didn't.

"I have been wanting to get some samples from the Human World, and if you get them, I will allow you to take this 'vacation,'" he said. Nemu bowed respectfully and walked off.

A few hours later, Yachiru looked at everyone. "Does everyone have everything?" she asked, looking around. They all nodded. "Great! To the vacation area!" she called, and they departed off to their destination.

When they got there, Nanao spoke. "Everyone, we will split up for a while, and meet back in two hours," she instructed. "And then we'll-" she stopped when she realized that everyone was gone.

Nemu sensed for his riatsu. It was easy to find, even though he tried to keep it hidden. She shunpoed off to his apartment.

Uryu could never get over the fact that Nemu could be thrown aside like a little rag doll and still be loyal to "Mayuri-sama." The thought made him sick to his stomach. He could say all the things that he wanted to about how Mayuri was a cruel, heartless man, yet Nemu would always defend him. He couldn't understand. He always got mad over that. How could he not? He couldn't stand for any girl to be mistreated, but what Mayuri did to Nemu always got him angry.

The door opened quietly. Nemu didn't feel bad about intruding, considering the fact that he had intruded Seretei. Her home. She looked around and found him sewing furiously.

She looked over his shoulder, careful to hide her riatsu. Uryu didn't even notice. She smiled lightly. She accidentally gave a flex in her riatsu, and Uryu immediately shot up. "Nemu-san!" he said, exhaling his breath. "You scared me! What are you doing here?"

"The Shinigami Women's Association is taking a vacation in the Human World," she answered, starting to dislike having to keep explaining that.

"No, I meant what are you doing here? In my house?" he asked again, being more specific.

"Because I needed somewhere to go for two hours, and I thought that I might visit you," she replied. Uryu nodded his head, but stopped when he saw bruises on her arms and legs.

"Why?" he asked.

"Why what?" was her reply.

"Why do you let him beat you?! You shouldn't let him! You know just as well as I do that he's cruel to you. I wouldn't let my father do that to me!" he said, a little more harshly than he wanted. She glared for a moment, but softened her eyes.

"I don't exactly enjoy you saying things about my father," she answered.

"Whatever he does to you, you'll always defend him. Why? You're so much more than a servant," he blushed lightly.

"Because. He's the reason that I live," she answered bluntly.

"If you keep letting him beat you, you won't live!" he countered.

"Mayuri-sama wouldn't-"

"He wouldn't care if you obliterated into one million pieces! He'd put you back together and then slap you across the face for letting yourself blow up!"

"You wouldn't understand..."

"I know! Because I'm a Quincy and because I'm a human! I should be thankful that I have a father who doesn't beat me and go back to live with him. But you know what, I won't because I'm stubborn!" he yelled. Nemu could feel his riatsu shaking with anger. "And yes, I know that I'm making a big deal over something that isn't of my concern, but it is! I care about what he does to you!"

Nemu was taken back for a while, but her expression went back to usual. "I knew that coming here was a bad idea..." she said, before shunpoeing off. Uryu sat down and tried to explain to himself what had just happened.

"Why? She shouldn't let him..." he muttered.

Nemu ran off, feeling tears threatening to pour out of her eyes. She wouldn't let them, she never let them. Why was it that he had always made a little of her emotion come out? She sat down on a park bench. "How can he mean those things?" she asked herself. She wondered if he hated her now. He probably did. She let one tear fall, then the others. She couldn't tell herself that she didn't have romantic feelings for him. She did ever since they met. Why would he care so much? She knew he loved someone else. She should just give up, but she couldn't. She wouldn't. They at least had to be friends.

A.N.: **Okay, I know that that was really stupid, but I love the pairing, and I just had to make a story about them. Please don't be harsh, though...**


	2. Chapter 2

Nemu met the others for lunch. Rangiku had 101 shopping bags, Yachiru was too busy munching on a chocolate bar to pay attention, Soi Fon had gotten herself some more cat dolls and had visited the Urahara Shoten, Isane had just recently arrived, Kiyone had gotten into a fight with Sentaro on the phone for two hours, and Nanao was looking at her new bikini that Rangiku had bought for her against Nanao's will. They all looked somewhat happy. That is, except for Nemu.

She couldn't get her mind off the Quincy who had stopped her regular way of thinking so many times. He didn't care what he said about her father, but she could tell that he cared. She also knew, however, that he was most likely in love with Orihime. How could he not be? She sighed. Isane looked at her.

"What's wrong, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi?" she asked. Nemu smiled lightly, refusing to tell them what had happened.

"Nothing," she replied quietly.

"I bet it's that Quincy that you think about so much," Rangiku said knowingly. Nemu stiffened a bit, but said nothing.

"It's vacation, you guys! We should be having fun!" Kiyone reminded them. They all nodded and headed off to a restaurant for lunch.

"Yummy!" Yachiru squealed, delighted with the noodles. Nanao pushed up her glasses, about ready to say something. Then she remembered that they were in fact on vacation, and should just loosen up. They found a table to sit in.

Nemu ate quietly. She turned her head when the door opened and Ichigo and his friends walked in. Her eyes widened slightly when Uryu walked in with them, looking a bit upset. She turned around, hoping that they hadn't seen her. She kept a close eye on them, though.

"Listen, Uryu, I don't know what's got you so upset, but I'm starving after killin' that Hollow," Ichigo said. Rukia and Orhime nodded. Chad gave his casual grunt. Nemu could hear them, and knew her face was getting redder by the moment.

"Yeah, Ishida-kun," Orihime agreed. Uryu smiled lightly and followed them. Nemu felt a bit angry. Had she said something like that, he probably wouldn't have cared, but when Orihime says it, the whole world must just turn around to listen. She sighed again. Nemu tried to finish her lunch as quickly as possible. She didn't want to have to talk to him. When she got up to leave, she ran straight into him. Just her luck... "Nemu-san!" Uryu exclaimed, helping her off the floor. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said... I shouldn't have said that about your father..." Uryu apologized.

Nemu felt her cheeks get redder. She looked up at him. _Don't make eye contact, Nemu..._ she tried to remind herself. To no avail. She stared straight into his blue eyes. _His eyes match the whole "Quincy" look..._ she thought. "You shouldn't worry about it."

"Yes. I should. I was wrong. Maybe your dad would care if you blew up," he argued. Perhaps he shouldn't have said "Maybe" or "blew up."

"Oh. So he would only care if I blew up?" she asked, a bit offended.

"No. What I meant was, maybe he is a good dad," Uryu said.

"No. I should be the sorry one. You were just trying to help," she said, changing the subject.

"No. It was my fault."

"No. My fault."

"My. Fault."

"MY. FAULT."

"My fault!"

"MY FAULT!"

Eventually, they were fighting over who was wrong. Finally Uryu spoke. "Okay, it was your fault," he gave in, hoping it would help.

"So now it's my fault?"

"No. I just thought that you wanted it to be your fault..."

"Maybe it's your fault."

"I tried saying it was my fault."

"Not hard enough, apparently."

They both stared at each other for a while. Neither of them said anything. Ichigo's group and Yachiru's group watched in complete silence. Finally, Orihime stood up. "We should all just get along, guys!" she smiled kindly. Nemu looked over at Uryu. He had a light blush. Nemu cold feel her blood boil slightly.

"I'm leaving," she announced, walking out.

"Nemu-san!" Uryu tried calling after her.

Nemu walked quickly, tears stinging in her eyes. Why was she always the one walking the way? She knew that her father was cruel, but she couldn't stand someone telling her that. She knew that she loved him, but he loved Orihime. It was obvious. She couldn't run anymore. She knew he'd never forgive her, she didn't blame him. But she wouldn't let this be their last meeting.

Uryu walked home. He only tried to help, but he had said something stupid. He always did, which caused him and many others heartache. He couldn't do anything right, especially to help others. How could she forgive him? She wouldn't. He hoped that that would be their last encounter. He couldn't hurt her anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

Uryu knew that he had a special talent for making people angry at him. He was a Quincy, which made him have a feel of superiority over humans and Shinigami. He didn't like affiliating with Shinigami, let alone being friends with them. Nemu was the daughter of the man Uryu hated the most, so why should he care if he hurt her feelings? But there was a way about her that was unlike her father's. She cared for his well-being even if he didn't ask her to. She tried to help him even when Mayuri and Uryu hated each other. And he blew it. The one chance with a girl that actually liked him, and he blew it. Inoue was nice and he did like her, but her feelings were with Kurosaki. Ichigo's feelings were in Rukia, and Rukia probably liked Ichigo.

Uryu walked to his apartment, ignoring the scenery around him. He knew that with Nemu being a Shinigami, there was no possible way they could like each other, but it made him feel bad that she cared so much and he kept on shooting her down. She had wanted to see him.

He turned his key in the door and walked in carefully. He knew that no one was there, but he still was quiet when entering his house. He sat down on a chair and attempted to engage himself in a book. But his mind wandered, and the book was easily forgotten. How had she been able to make him guilty over nothing? He put the book down and leaned back. There was no way in the universe she would be stupid enough to come back here again. He glanced over at his sewing table, noticing the mountain of thread and cloth. He really should clean that, but he should also clean his house. He never got around to it, and the house stayed dirty and unmanageable.

Bein a Quincy was hard, but it was all that Uryu had. He wouldn't let himself consider the idea of giving up being a Quincy and live like a regular human. Ryuuken didn't know what he was talking about, or he did. Uryu knew his father was right, but wouldn't will himself to believe it. Uryu's grandfather had been adamant about "The Pride of the Quincy", and had taught Uryu to be proud of his heritage. But there was one question that always lurked in the back of Uryu's mind. What pride? A whole race of people wiped out except for two. One of which doesn't even want to be a Quincy. It was sad, and Uryu often told himself that there had to be more Quincies out there, but this was reality. One race that was wiped out. What did being a Quincy profit Uryu? Pain, suffering, that nagging feeling that told you that if you died, there would be no more Quincies. All Uryu knew as being a Quincy, even if he hated to admit it. There was nothing Uryu could turn to for support.

Nemu felt her mind racing. Was it possible for someone like Nemu to be able to have such intense feelings for just one person? And if so, why a Quincy? Uryu had always caught her interest. He made her think that there was more to life that just living it. He had shown her that her purpose wasn't just to follow Mayuri, it was to have a want to be herself. She couldn't break free of Mayuri, but she had become a different person because of him. And she knew he was right about her father. Mayuri didn't care for Nemu in the least bit. Life was hard, but Uryu was impossible. What was it that made him want to be a Quincy? He was stubborn. He helped people that he didn't even know, and he didn't ask for anything in exchange.

Nemu could see Uryu's apartment. But she told herself it was better to just watch. She would imagine herself sitting with him, drinking a cup of tea. They were laughing. Then again, imagination had gotten the best of her again. Was it even possible to imagine when you were a robot?

Uryu looked out the window. He could see Nemu, but Uryu told himself to just watch. She was a Shinigami, he was a Quincy. He tried to tell himself that that was the end of the story. Being separated by blood and race was hard, but he could live with it, knowing that no matter how much he liked her, it would never work. But he didn't care. He was fine with watching.

It was midnight, and Nemu took one last glance at the apartment. She told her feet not to move, but they kept going towards the stupid place. She crept in silently, watching him sleep. He had fallen asleep at the table, a book beside him. She wondered how hard it was to live all by yourself. She at least had Mayuri, he was alone. But apparently he had chosen this life. It made her feel sad.

She silently put a hand on his shoulder, watching him inhale and exhale. He must've been a heavy sleeper. "I'm sorry," she whispered gently in his ear. She had meant to go away quickly, but heard him shuffle in his sleep.

"Nemu-san?" he asked, sleepily, taking off his glasses and rubbing an eye. She tensed up, feeling his gaze lingering on her figure. "What are you doing in here?"

"I got distracted, so I decided to come in here."

"Oh."

She hoped that this was the extent of the conversation. He would just go back to bed and she could leave with whatever self-respect she had left. "Did I wake you?" she asked. It seemed as if her body parts were against her today. They refused to let her do what she wanted.

"No, it's just that, I thought I heard you say something," he answered, picking up his book. "Did you say something?"

"No."

"Okay," he gave a slight smile. "Anyway, I wanted to apologize about today. I guess today didn't work out so well for either of us." He gave a small laugh, causing her to glance at him. "Anyway, you should probably go back to your friends. They're probably worried." He started towards his room. "Goodnight, Nemu-san."

"Goodnight. And...I'm sorry, too," she said, gazing at the ground. Uryu nodded his head.

She walked out silently, but watched him out of his window. He sat back down at the table and started reading again. She wondered if there was ever a time when he wasn't reading or sewing. It was frustrating. How cold you sleep at a table? She almost let out a small chuckle when he laid his head on the table. Life truly was hard, Shinigami were difficult, Quincies were tiresome, but Uryu was impossible.

**A.N.: Alright, I FINALLY got around to writing a new chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, because I'm really starting to get into the story. ENJOY!!! If you want to read my original third chapter, it's the next chapter. I wrote it ions ago, but I didn't really like it. **


	4. Chapter 4

Uryu couldn't get his mind off of her. He never could. He had walked back to his apartment slowly. Slower than usual. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings. He really hadn't. He tried to look out for her and had gotten the kindness slapped right back into his face. He really did care for her, like she'd ever believe that. He stopped when he saw a Menos. He needed something to get his mind off of her.

Uryu shot an arrow at the Hollow. It missed. He never missed. Only when he had something on his mind. The hollow turned around, looking at its opponent. Uryu didn't show that he was afraid. If he kept firing arrows like that, it would be over before it started.

Nemu looked off into the distance. She could see blue lights. She figured it was him fighting a hollow. She attempted to look away, but turned around when she saw a red light. It was a cero. Her eyes widened and she sensed for his riatsu. She could still feel a bit of it.

Nemu didn't know that she could shunpo that fast. But she had to. She quickened her pace when she saw another red light. She stopped when she saw the Quincy fall. "Uryu!" she called.

The Menos looked at her and fired a cero. She dodged, but only by a little. It was fast. She fired some strong kidos at it and it disappeared. She huffed. She looked over at Uryu. He was bleeding, but not too badly. She gazed at him. He didn't look as serious as he usually did. He looked vulnerable. She knew distinctively that he would never show this side. He must've had her on his mind.

She had gotten him somewhere safe and had tended to his wounds. She watched him, tracing along his face. He never seemed weak. In fact, he had made her feel strong. He made someone want to get stronger. He always wanted to get stronger. She sighed. He wouldn't forgive her. He shouldn't forgive her. She smiled at the thought of him loving her back. It made her happy.

She tried to dismiss the thoughts by remembering that this was a fantasy. They only happened in fairy tales. Nemu despised fairy tails. They never came true. Just like wishes. She wished he would see her for who she truly was. She wished _anyone_ could see her for who she was. Again, it was a wish. She hadn't even noticed when he had stirred.

"Nemu-san?" he asked weakly. He tried sitting up, and she easily pushed him down again. "How did I...?" his voice trailed off. She looked as if she had been crying. He knew he was the cause. "I'm sorry...I know that I shouldn't have said what I said. I was stupid..." he said.

"No, it was my fault that you got hurt."

"I should've been stronger..."

"You would have been if you weren't thinking about me," she said thoughtfully.

"...thank you for helping me..." he said after a while. Nemu nodded her head.

"No need to thank me."

They stayed silent, a talent in which they were both skilled at. Nemu looked at him. He always looked the same. Hurt. He always looked as if he were hurt. He always looked as if he had something on his mind. All she ever had on her mind was trying to please Mayuri-sama. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to lean in as close as possible. She didn't even notice when she did just that. Before she knew it, she was kissing him.

Uryu's eyes were wide in shock. Was she kissing him? She couldn't be! But she was. He stayed in shock for a while before admitting defeat. What was the point of trying to say no when someone was already kissing you?

They both sat there for a while. Finally they both broke apart. Uryu blushed and Nemu smiled lightly. "You're not too bad..." she noted. He thanked her silently.

Uryu knew that she was one heck of a girl. He knew that she was strong. He knew that she was very strong. She could take any hit from Mayuri without giving a complaint. She was always ready to help Mayuri when he ordered her to. She would take out anything that got in the way. He liked that about her. He didn't like being weak, and he presumed that neither did she.

Nemu had realized that he wasn't any ordinary Quincy. He was much different. She enjoyed that about him. He was someone that she could depend on. He was chivalrous and would defend a girl in need at any moment. She knew that he was a great guy. She had never tried a relationship. He could change that.

They both blushed. Uryu smiled at her. She smiled back. They were silent, but it was like saying one thousand words.

**A.N.: Like I said, this was the original third chapter. I really hated it, so I decided to write a new one.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N.: This is CHAPPY 4!!! I hope that this is my best chapter yet, so please enjoy it!**

They stared at each other, neither making a move. Why were they staring at each other? Two words: First Date. It had all started like this:

Uryu and Nemu were now considered an "item" by Yachiru. Nanao had offered Nemu one of her hair clips for their first official date, Rangiku demanded to do her make-up, and Kiyone and Isane were in charge of the hair. Soi Fon had picked out the clothes, and Yachiru was deciding on jewelry. Nemu was completely hopeless.

When Orihime had found out, it had gone like this. Ichigo and Rukia were arguing about how to kill a hollow and Orihime popped up between the two of them. "Kurosaki-kun! Kuorsaki-kun!" Orihime had cried, as if something was horribly wrong.

"What is it, Inoue?" he asked.

"It's about Ishida-kun!"

"What about him?" Rukia asked, getting alarmed.

"He's got a date and we HAVE to make it super special for him!" she yelled, smiling contently. Ichigo and Rukia sighed while Chad stayed silent. Then it hit Ichigo and Rukia.

"DATE?!" they cried in unison. Orihime nodded and clapped her hands. "With who?" Rukia asked before Ichigo.

"Nemu-chan," Orihime answered. "For the date I could make a ton of ramen with lots of honey and wasabi. I could also make potatoes with garlic and chocolate. It's all going to be SO delicious!" she said excitedly, thinking up more dastardly combinations that she could unintentionally poison Uryu and Nemu with.

Uryu walked into the room and pushed up his glasses. He looked no different, aside from the fact that he had a slight smile on his usually serious face. If Ichigo didn't know any better, he would've believed that Uryu was actually happy.

"So, what are you guys talking about?" he asked, sitting down in a chair. Rukia gave him a dumbfounded look and Orihime clapped her hands again.

"Ishida-kun, do you want me to make something special for yours and Nemu'chan's date? I'll be happy to make sushi with pickles and celery," she offered cheerfully. Ichigo and Uryu paled.

"No thank you, Inoue-san," he said calmly, trying to gain back his composure from that frightful thought. Orhime pouted and smiled again.

"What are you gonna wear?" Ichigo smirked.

"Nothing that you help me with," Uryu answered.

"Fine. But you can't make it yourself," Ichigo told him. Uryu hesitated for a moment before nodding his head. "How about Rukia and Inoue help you look for it." Rukia and Orihime watched him ponder it for a moment.

"Fair enough."

Orihime giggled. "It's gonna be so much fun! What restaurant are you guys going to go to?" she asked excitedly. Uryu shrugged. "You really haven't thought much about this date, have you?"

"It was sort of a spur of the moment," he said, pushing up his glasses again. Rukia and Ichigo both groaned.

"Lieutenant Kurotsutchi, you need to pick out a restaurant," Nanao urged, helping Nemu secure the clip in her hair. Isane and Kiyone both nodded their heads in agreement.

"Yeah! You and Pencil need to find a place that serves lots of candy!" Yachiru squealed, jumping onto an unoccupied chair.

"I suppose you will be watching us?" Nemu asked, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Aure! Ichi and the others are coming, too!" Yachiru said happily.

Rangiku finished up the last bit of make-up she was applying on Nemu. "That Quincy won't know what hit him!"

"You're going to hit him?" Nemu asked, feeling a bit alarmed.

"No! It means he's going to be shocked at how you look," Isane clarified. Nemu nodded her head in understanding.

"You're all ready," Soifon told her.

"All right, Ishida, you look better," Ichigo said in approval. Uryu sighed and messed with the suit he was wearing.

"Ishida-kun, you and Nemu-chan are going to have SO much fun!" Orihime cried.

"You've come a long way," Rukia admitted, nodding her head in approval.

"Thank...you?" Uryu said uncertainly.

Yachiru had pushed Nemu half the way there, while Ichigo kept coaxing Uryu to go faster. Finally the two ran smack-dab into each other.

"Hi, Nemu-san," Uryu said, rubbing his nose.

"Hello, Uryu," Nemu greeted, unscathed by their run into each other. Yachiru motioned for Nemu to walk in, as did Ichigo. They both walked uncertainly, attempting not to bump into each other again. They sat down and watched a waiter come up to them.

"How can I serve you?" he asked. Nemu and Uryu blinked a couple of times and gave their orders. Rukia and Ichigo watched from a potted plant, Orihime and Yachiru had found a table to hide under, Soifon was sitting at a table eating some sushi, Nanao was pretending to read a book at a counter, Rangiku was at the table right beside them (not her smartest move), and Kiyone and Isane were hiding behind a dessert cart.

And that's where we left off at. They stared at each other, neither making a move.

Uryu cleared his throat. "So Nemu-san, how do you like the weather?" he asked. Ichigo groaned and threw a paper airplane at him. "Ow!" Uryu unfolded it and stared at the paper. "Kurosaki," he muttered under his breath, as well as a few choice curse words.

"Is something wrong?" Nemu asked him.

"No!" he said, embarrassed. "Anyway, how do you like the Human World? Is it better than the Seretei?" Uryu read off the paper.

"It's very nice. But it is very different than Seretei. I like the people in Seretei, but the view is so beautiful here," she answered. Rangiku nonchalantly slid a piece of paper over to her. "I mean, 'Yes. It's wonderful in both places, but there is only one thing on my mind right now.' What's that supposed to mean?" she asked herself. Uryu blushed a slight shade of red.

"Oh. Well, you're right. The people in Seretei are really friendly...except when they're trying to kill you," he laughed. Nemu gave a small smile. Rukia threw another piece of paper to him. "What I meant to say was, 'Scenery is nice and all, but only one scene is playing in my mind right now." _What the heck is the meaning of that_?

They stared at each other. Nemu ate in silence, while Uryu was just sitting there, obviously afraid to make a move.

"Thank you for the wonderful date," Nemu told him, standing up. "This is the best night I've ever had."

"Yeah, Me too," he smiled. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"That would be nice."

They walked for a while, talking about different things. "Do you think I could spend some time with you tomorrow?" Nemu asked.

"I'd like that. A lot."

"Good."

"I had a really fun time, Nemu-san," Uryu told her.

"Me too."

Then it happened. Nemu slowly leaned in, while Uryu blinked. But nevertheless, they kissed. It lasted for about a minute before they had to break off for air. Uryu blushed. "I'll see you tomorrow..."

"I'll be waiting."

**A.N.: I liked this chapter. The next one I hope will be just as awesome. I know I haven't worked on this story like my other ones, but I'm starting to really get into it. Hope ya enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N.: Time for some Ryuuken!!!**

It had been two days since their first date, but Nemu had to rush things. She would only be there for a couple more days, and she needed some samples urgently. So, it was time to meet Uryu's dad. She knew that he hated him, but what harm could be done?

"Uryu," she said, looking up from her book,"I hate to ask, but I'd like to meet you father." She noticed Uryu tense up a bit, but he quickly worked to relax his shoulders. He gave her a surprised look.

"Well, Nemu..." he had been told by her to drop the "san" part. "I don't think that it's really a good time to see him. We really haven't dated that long," he told her. Truth be told, if he had a different father, he would be glad to let Nemu meet him. But Uryu had been told by Ryuuken not to affiliate himself with Shinigami. Ichigo was an exception, but how could he possibly be able to make up an excuse for this one?

"Please?"

"...Fine..." he gave in, not able to resist her. She smiled softly.

So they walked. He could feel her gaze on him. He didn't want to look at her, but his mind was thinking up at least twenty different things Ryuuken would say to Uryu. Things like,"I knew that you couldn't take orders." That wouldn't bother him. "You are a disgrace to every Quincy that has ever lived." That would bother him a lot. "Your grandfather would be ashamed to call you his grandson." That crossed the line!

Uryu looked at the hospital, trying to calm his nerves. He didn't talk to Ryuuken a lot. He'd probably be one of the last people to know if he kicked the bucket. But Uryu breathed in and walked in with his "Pride of the Quincy." Nemu followed.

Nurses stared as he walked in, briskly stepping on the floor. Nemu looked at the nurses and gave a small wave. They smiled and went back to their work. Uryu walked right in there and stopped dead in his tracks. Ryuuken was glaring. Sure, he glared a lot, but Uryu couldn't tell who the glare was aimed at. It was probably for him, but he couldn't help but think Nemu was the target. Uryu kept his composure as well as he could, standing tall. Nemu gave a small bow.

"So this is your father?" she asked. Uryu nodded and Ryuuken stood up.

"Who is this?" Ryuuken asked, standing in from of Uryu. He was taller, but you could obviously see the close resemblance between father and son. Uryu countered with a glare of his own.

"This is Nemu Kurotsutchi," he answered. Nemu bowed again.

"Why is a Shinigami in my office?" he asked coldly. Uryu opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He couldn't say "She's my girlfriend. Get over it!" He had broken a promise he had made to his father, but why would he care?

"I asked to come here," Nemu answered. "We've only known each other for a while, but I really like your son." Uryu stared at Nemu, shocked. How had she been able to stand up to man who's glare could make puppies pee?

"Didn't I tell you not to affiliate yourself with Shinigami?" he asked. Uryu stared at the ground, his hand clenched into a fist.

"Yes."

"And is she a Shinigami?"

"Yes."

"Then why is she here?"

"I really like her. And if I don't live under your roof, shouldn't I have the right to make my own decisions on whom I like?" Uryu asked. Nemu watched the both of them bicker. She knew that rush jobs weren't the best of things, but this was worse than she had imagined.

"How long have you been dating?"

"Two...days..."

"Wow. Two days. Why not get married while you're at it!" Ryuuken said sarcastically.

"Please, stop fighting," Nemu spoke up. "Uryu didn't want to come here, but I asked him to. I can see why he doesn't want to come here. My father may not be the nicest person, but at least he doesn't argue with me ALL the time. Sons are something to be cherished. They are a part of you. When they're hurt, don't you hurt as well? And fathers help you make decisions in life that you would never be able to make on your own. You both are stubborn, but you're also very lonely."

Uryu's eyes softened. "I never thought of it that way, Nemu," Uryu smiled. Nemu smiled back and stared at Ryuuken.

"You two have a lot in common with each other."

Ryuuken nodded his head. Uryu could tell that he approved of Nemu. "Nemu, do you want to leave now?" he asked her.

"If it's okay with your father, do you think we could all have tea?"

Long story short, one of the biggest obstacles in Uryu's and Nemu's relationship had been cleared. Fighting seemed to cease, but Nemu couldn't keep her mind off of one fact: She had to leave in three more days.

**A.N.: BUM BUM BUM!!! Dang, that sucks. Anyway, I'm not finishing the story up just yet, but I'm having a blast with IshiNemu. Tey are gradually becoming one of my favorite couples. (No couple can beat IchiRuki) Enjoy!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

Nemu walked, making no attempt to look at Uryu. He was blissfully unaware of the fact that she had two more days with him. Only two more days to tell him everything that she wanted to tell him but never had the courage. What was she thinking?! There was NO possible way that they could have a long-distance relationship, let alone with Mayuri Kurotsutchi involved in this. They were different, but Nemu had never realized _how_ different.

"Uryu," she spoke up after a while, causing him to look at her.

"Yeah?" He was smiling, something that she enjoyed.

"There's something I need to tell you..." she trailed off, her words unsure. Truth was, her mind knew what to say, but her heart wan't in it.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, feeling a bit concerned. She started to shake her head, but realized that now was the only time.

"As you know, I can't stay here forever..." Uryu nodded his head, quite aware of the fact.

"...and I think that it would be best if..." she paused again, making sure that he was still listening. She hated this, especially because Uryu was in the room. Perhaps if it were anyone else, she wouldn't mind in the least bit.

"...we saw other people..." she finished. She looked up to see Uryu, who wasn't for sure if he had heard everything exactly right. He had, but he was for certain that he did not enjoy it. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. It took a while before his voice came back to ask the question that bothered him the most.

"Why?"

Why. Why was such a simple word, yet it caused so much heartache. She could say something like,"Because I have to go back to Seretai and long-distance relationships would be too hard." But he would try to make up something so that it could work out. She needed to hit it where it counts.

"Because we're two completely different people. You're...a Quincy...and I'm a Shinigami..." she said it. Those words dug deep into his soul. Why was being a Quincy so complicated?

"I see." Alright, one more word than last time. She hated doing this to him, but Mayuri was bound to find out and then both of them would be in trouble. As such, it was a way to protect him...in a way that helped no one.

"Uryu...I really didn't want to..." she tried to say something to lessen the current situation, but nothing helpful came to her mind. She had ended it, and they were both heart-broken. He gave a very un-convincing smile.

"I see what you mean, Nemu-san. It would be rather complicated..." This was possibly the biggest lie Uryu Ishida had ever told in his life, but it could've fooled anyone...that was deaf. But it was comforting to Nemu that he was trying to comprehend why this happened. Even if it hurt, even if it stung, it was the best thing to do...right? There couldn't be another way around this, could there?

"I hope that we can still be friends." Maybe this wasn't a lie, but it wasn't entirely the truth. She didn't want to be friends, she wanted to be lovers.

"I should be going," Nemu said, hurrying off.

Uryu stood there, not completely grasping the entire situation. He had been going out for less than two weeks and he had already been dumped! He was a nerd, but he didn't think that he was _that_ pathetic. Nevertheless, she had said it, and he had to accept her decision, no matter how much it pained him.

Nemu could feel tears threatening to come out. Never had she been this serious about anything, and never had she been this regretful. And yet, she was. Was it because he was the only person who dared stand up to Kurotsutchi, or was it because he was the only person who cared for her? Pain, regret, guilt all lingered in her mind. She had, in a way, tricked him. And she had, in a way, tricked herself. She actually thought that it would be a happy ending.

**A.N.: A;right, so I rushed through this chapter. I'm working on working on all of my stories tonight, so here is a new chapter!**


	8. Chapter 8

Uryu walked home as slowly as he could, wanting to try to sort out all of his thoughts. Nemu liked him, right? And she thought he was cute, right? And they had been doing really well, right?

"Guess not..."

Nemu was certainly an important person to him, and he thought that she would want to be with him no matter what. Was it because of Mayuri. In all reality, Mayuri probably would've been please, considering that would mean more Quincies for him to experiment on. Maybe it was because he was a Quincy.

It's not like it was his fault. He was born that way. And Uyu had even helped the Shinigami in multiple circumstances, so it couldn't be that.

"What did I do wrong?" Uryu never thought himself to be perfect, but he never remembered himself doing anything extremely wrong that she would want to break up with him. Sure, Mayuri was his archenemy, but all of that had been settled in Las Nochess, right?

He had never known himself to be down in the dumps for too long, but he doubted that this would be a one-day recovery. Perhaps Inoue-san would know about this.

That's it!

"_As you know, I can't stay here forever...and I think that it would be best if...we saw other people..."_

It could be the only logical explanation. She must've had some other lover in Seretei! But of course, she couldn't help herself not to be drawn in by his dashing good looks and his wonderful sewing skills. She made their relationship feel safe and secure, but she knew that she would have to face the truth sooner or later and tell her lover about everything. So instead of making her look bad, she decided to break his heart to save her other relationship. Very clever, Nemu...

But she wouldn't toy with his feelings like that. In fact, she's a rather nice person in contrast to her father. Then again, maybe Mayuri had installed some of his meanness and cleverness in her that only activated when she saw Quincies.

If that were the case, she would've let him die from the poison in Seretei. So that couldn't be it.

His brain was useful for so man things, but love was surely not one of them. Kurosaki would probably have better luck figuring out the cause. But there was no way that he would humble himself enough to actually ask Kurosaki for advice...

"Yeah...that pretty much sucks..." Ichigo told him. Rukia sat beside him, but didn't look as convinced.

"Nemu may be Kurotsuchi-taicho's creation, but I don't believe that even _he_ would be that cruel...Maybe she just didn't want a long-distance relationship..."

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Maybe she was just trying to cut back on your phone bills...!" he joked, muffling his laughter and enjoyment. Rukia kicked him in the head with such force that it caused him to go backwards.

"This is serious! It's a tragic love, and you shouldn't be as cruel as to joke about it!"

That's Rukia for you. Could care less if your arm's being pulled out of socket and broken into three different places, but when you mess with love, you've crossed the line. And then you dead.

"I appreciate the help, Kuchiki-san..." Uryu mumbled. He never felt so sad and betrayed in his life. In fact, he never felt anything close to that...except when his grandfather died.

Rukia tried to give a sympathetic smile. "Maybe you should follow her advice. There are plenty of fish in the sea. You just have to find the right one!" Dating didn't sound too bad, but how could he when he had just gotten his heart broken by the only girl who has shown any ounce of interest in him.

"Give him a bit of time, Rukia. That was a harsh blow to his already small ego, and how can he get back up when she was the only girl who could ever dream of liking him?"

Great way to kill the confidence, Kurosaki.

Rukia frowned. "You need to make her jealous. You know, Inoue is always there and I'm sure she'd pretend to go out with her if you told her your problem."

Ichigo pushed her out the way. "Don't listen to a midget. You need to just lay low and act like you don't care, then she'll come crawling back. Trust me."

"Is that all you think of women? Sniveling wimps who'll just come 'crawling back' to you pigs?!"

Ichigo's face had a look of shock on it. "That's not what I meant! I don't think that about you! You're...cool..." Ichigo translation: You're the hottest girl in the world AND you can kick butt. You're perfect. Please marry me.

Rukia blushed. "Ichigo...you're cool, too..." Rukia translation: Thank you for noticing my perfect awesomeness and my noticeable good looks. I might marry you.

Uryu sighed. I'm glad you two are having a happy ending..."

"What's your name again?" Ichigo asked, looking up from Rukia.

Uryu walked out and didn't stop until he reached his apartment.

**A/N: I wanted to add a bit of IchiRuki humor in there, but I don't think I captured the sincerity of Uryu's sadness. In a way, that makes me feel like a horrible writer... Although, if Nemu ever dumps Uryu, I'll be happy to go out with him!**


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